Stubborn Souls :: Fragrance of Love
by dead marionette
Summary: An unusual sickness has fallen on Wolfram von Bielefield. Though it might be an ordinary illness, he seemed not to be able to recover from it. What would happen if Yuuri finds out?
1. Illness and Illusions

**_Well then, here's my second fic about the most favourite pairing ever! This was inspired by many other Yuuram fics that I've read! Thanks for the inspiration! Hope you enjoy this! Though I feel a little bad about making Wolfram sick...anyway, this fic was also inspired by my now favourite singer ever, Gackt! Especially his song, rain!_**

* * *

**_Stubborn Souls - Fragrance of Love_**

_Illness and Illusions_

_Summary: _

_An unusual epidemic has fallen on Wolfram von Bielefield. Though it might be an ordianry illness, he seemed not to be able to recover from it. The whole demon tribe is bewildered by this tragedy that has befallen on the Maou's fiancé. Everyone is taking sides; some wanted to inform the king. Others, especially Lord Bielefield., prefer the king remain ignorant. For the king has decided to remain on Earth until his future is assured.__Conrad makes the final decision to bring his brother to Earth to be cured. Without the king knowing. What will happen when Yuuri finds out?_

_

* * *

_

A gentle breeze blew across the green land, ruffling several leaves that were in its path. In silence, he watched as the wind played with the leaves. Crossing his arms at chest-level, he wondered about his life and what he was going to do now. His green eyes were heavy-lidded as he pondered. It had been days since he exploded at a certain dark-haired boy and days since he last talked to him.

He tugged at his collar, loosening it slightly. With a sigh, he brushed a hand through his thick golden mane as he closed his eyes. He knew that he was not well, he could actually feel the blood rushing up to his cheeks but he assumed that it was because of the way he was feeling right now. And even though he was truly ill, his pride would not allow him to admit. Not to that idiot, for that matter. With another sigh, he turned around and exited the room. Maybe a practice duel and fresh air would do him some good.

* * *

He made sure that no one saw him left the castle, only his trusted soldiers following from behind. With a quick whip of the reins, he urged his stallion to go a little faster and felt the wind brushing past his face. Tree after tree swept past as his horse galloped before he pulled in the reins, his horse stopping in an empty grassy field. He dismounted just as the others came to a stop behind him. Ignoring the rest, he walked a little more further away from them. His steps were a little slow and sluggish, his eyes had a slight glaze in them. It seemed that the ride had not done any good either, he could still feel blood rushing up to his face. 

With a sudden stop in his tracks, he shook his head to clear his mind. That even made it worse. But once again, pride got in the way and he turned to gesture for his soldiers to come forth. Several of them looked at one another, for they knew that their captain was unwell but was just too stubborn to admit. But as they were trained soldiers, they knew not to question their captain's orders.

He selected a few from the group and they circled around him, their swords drawn. He, too, began to remove his sword from the sheath. With a curt nod, he watched as they ran towards him.

Soon, most of the soldiers were breathing hard. Especially him. By now, his soldiers could see that he was having difficulties breathing and keeping steady. His face was flushed while golden locks lay limp and wet against his reddened skin.

"Sir, maybe we should stop for a moment." but the quiet suggestion went unheard as their captain rushed forward towards them. But before he could reach them, his steps faltered and he stopped. It became harder for him to breathe and he placed a hand on his forehead, trying to steady his throbbing temple. His grip on the sword loosened before the sword dropped with a cushioned thud.

He could see his vision was getting blurry and doubled as he weakly lifted his head. But amidst the blurriness, he could still see the shock and concern etched on his soldiers' face as many rushed towards him. "Sir!" Many called out to him before his vision went dark.

* * *

She could hear him taking short breaths, almost as though he had been sprinting. Her own green eyes were full of concern as she placed a wet towel upon his forehead, brushing aside the limp locks. Once her task was done, she sat back and felt a presence beside her. Turning slightly, she watched a little girl stared at him with intensely concerned chocolate brown eyes. Gently she placed hand over a small one and the girl looked up at her. She smiled, assuring the girl that her father would be all right. 

"Gisela?" Immediately she stood up and turned. Another pair of brown eyes gazed upon her face, the concern was evident.

"A fever, Lord Weller." She confirmed her statement with a short nod.

"So, Wolfram is going to be all right?" Hearing the small voice, she turned around and lowered herself. With a smile, she nodded.

"There's nothing to worry about. He is going to be fine after the fever passes. But he needs lots of rest. Do you think you can make sure of that, Greta?" The girl brightened slightly and gave a determined nod. With that, she straightened herself up and excused herself out of the room.

* * *

He heard Gisela closed the door just as he moved towards the empty chair. Once settled, he watched Greta replacing the now hot towel with another wet one from the basin that was on the side table. He watched as Wolfram gave a weak smile as he slowly opened his eyes, still breathing hard. 

"Get better Wolfram. Gisela said to make sure that you get lots of rest. And I'm going to make sure that no one disturb you." He watched as Wolfram gingerly lifted his hand to give Greta's curly brown hair a ruffle. He then gave a short laugh and nodded before closing his eyes.

"All right Greta. I'll be good and rest." It came out in a sleepy whisper before his breathing slowly regulate, an indication that he was asleep.

* * *

Life should be this simple. Going to school, worrying about exams and playing baseball. But his life is anything but simple. Not only did he still have to worry about school, his worries doubled when he took the position of demon king. And on top of that, he accidentally got himself engaged. To another male, for that matter. A very temperamental and jealous one of all things. 

With a sigh, he finished buttoning his shirt. Once done, he gave himself a quick look in the mirror before exiting his room. He saw his mother smiling at him as she gestured for him to eat his breakfast.

"So when will you be going back there?" The question seemed innocent enough that he gave her a skeptical glance. "Mama is just asking, not that Mama doesn't like having you back."

He hadn't thought about going back yet, not at the moment anyway. He had informed the others of his decision to stay here for a while before returning back to the demon country. The others had accepted his decision, though Gunter was a little teary about it. Only one was against it. Even now, though it had been many days, he could somewhat still hear that voice exploded out. Inwardly, he cringed upon remembering. "Not too sure yet. Until I've finished high school, probably."

* * *

"Conrad, I think we should tell His Majesty about Wolfram." Gunter walked in step beside him. He glanced at the purple-haired advisor but said nothing. "He is the king's fiancé after all." 

"And how are we suppose to contact the king?" A deep voice resonated in the hall just as a tall dark-haired man appeared at the end. Glancing at his side, Conrad watched Gunter's face turned slightly red at the cheeks.

"We could ask Ulrike for instance." It was almost laughable to see both of them fight, an obvious sign of their growing attraction to one another. Gwendel let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head.

"This is ridiculous. Wolfram is a knight, he'll be fine."

"It has been a week now and his fever is not dropping. As a Mazoku, he should be recovered by now." His older brother had no reply for the advisor's last statement and chose to let out a sound instead before walking away. The two of them were now alone in the hall.

"Gunter, let's give Wolfram another week to recover. I'm sure he wouldn't want the king to see him in his current condition." His eyes were trained on his brother's fleeting back as the dark-haired man disappeared around a corner before turning to look at the advisor. "His Majesty has his own future to worry about now."

* * *

He knew he had slipped in and out of consciousness for some time now, but had no idea that it had been a week since he collapsed. He knew he was not getting better, in fact, his condition was getting worse. He had listened to Gisela's worried voice when she explained to the others just as he regained consciousness. 

"Gisela, isn't there something you can do to bring down his fever?" He had heard his mother asked Gunter's daughter. He could hear the slight trembling in her voice and even in his flustered state, was proud that she did not break down.

"Mother, don't worry. I'll be fine. It's just a fever, it'll come down sooner or later." With whatever strength he had at the moment, he assured his mother who went to his side immediately. Opening his eyes, he saw her eyes glistened as well as Greta's. He tried to cheer his daughter with a smile, even though it was weak. "Just don't tell that wimp about this. He'll not let this pass." Once again it came out in a whisper just before he slipped out of consciousness again.

* * *

"Conrad, would you consider it?" Gunter's question had everyone glancing at him. Two weeks had come and gone but his little brother's condition still remained as it was. By now, everyone was worried. They had tried all sorts of medicine in the kingdom but nothing helped. An urgent meeting had been called for and the decision had been made to transport Wolfram to the king's world to be sent to a place called a hospital that the king had once mentioned. 

"No! You cannot tell that idiot about this!" The protest came from nowhere just as he was about to answer. Everyone looked behind him and he, too, looked over his shoulder. There, huffing with exhaustion, was Wolfram being supported by a concerned Gisela. His face was flushed and he looked weak, but his eyes were still clear. "I'll go to his world but no one is to breathe a word to him about it."

His green eyes flitted from everyone's to finally rest upon his brown ones. In silence, he gazed at his little brother before nodding.

"Then the decision is made. Conrad and I will accompany Wolfram to Earth. Ulrike will contact His Highness and informed him about the situation. With luck, we'll be back here before the king finds out." Gwendel's voice was firm and undeterred when Gunter was about to protest. He turned and walked towards Wolfram who seemed to be slipping from Gisela's grasp. With one quick swift movement, Conrad carried his brother and turned around.

He looked down and saw his brother having difficulty breathing again. Unconsciously, he tightened his grasp on the golden-haired knight before realizing it. "We'll leave as soon as preparations are complete." The moment the words left his lips, he turned and exited the room with Gisela and his mother following from behind.

* * *

The sound of ringing echoed throughout the empty house just as the door clicked open. He glanced up and pushed the door before picking the phone. 

"Shibuya?" Murata's voice cackled in his ear. He gave out an answering sound just as he turned back to close the door. "Listen, I can't come for baseball practice later. I've got something important that I have to do. Sorry about this, bye!"

And just like that, the phone went dead and he sighed as he placed the phone back. Lately, Murata had been acting weird. He'd been having these faraway look everytime he met the dark-haired boy. "I wonder what's going on with him." Coming into the kitchen, he saw a note from his mother. It indicated that she and his father would be coming home quite late and that Shori would be late as well.

Reaching in to grab a bottle of water, his mind began to wander. "I wonder what the others are doing right now." he murmured just before taking a sip.

* * *

The atmosphere in the shrine was grim, it was as though someone had died. He watched the shrine priestesses took their positions behind Ulrike and Gwendel instructing the soldiers. With a brush through his hair, he turned around and exited the shrine. His mother caught his movement and watched her second son walked out of the room. 

"Is everything all right?" His voice resonated throughout the empty hall, causing Gisela to jump slightly. Gunter's daughter turned and bowed respectfully before frowning slightly. "What is it?"

"I don't know how to say this, sir. But-" She stopped just as several soldiers walked past them. Her green eyes were full of concern as she turned to look at him again. "It might just be a theory but-"

"Sir, if there is any way, please inform His Majesty about Lord Bielefield."

* * *

He was content with sitting on the toilet, as his bespectacled eyes watched Shibuya's brother paced the bathroom floor. He was amazed at how much distance the older man could get, pacing in the bathroom, but chose not to comment. 

"Where are they? They should be here by now." Crossing his arms, the dark-haired Sage watched Shibuya's brother paced from one end of the room to the other. For a man who was a little cynical about the demon country, Shori Shibuya seemed anxious for their arrival.

"They're taking their own sweet time. And what am I going to do if Yuuri were to find them here?"

He let out a sound as he shrugged. Then, a sound caught his attention and he looked over Shori's shoulders. A smile appeared on his face as he stood up.

* * *

He waved at the others before wheeling his bicycle away. Once away from everyone, he stopped short as he lifted his head. With a sigh, he watched the setting of the sun, the orange sky turning dark. His thoughts, once again, wandered to a certain demon country. And more importantly- 

His train of thoughts were interrupted when a pair of dazzling lights caused him to frown and looked away. And just as the car passed, he turned and was surprised to find that it was Shori's. "Shori? Murata?"

"Wait a minute. Was that-" He watched as the car sped off. It couldn't be. Could it? Feverishly he shook his head. With a sigh, he hung his head before lifting to watch the car disappeared around a corner. "I must be delirious. I could have sworn I saw Conrad, Gwendel and Greta." But he turned thoughtful. It might be hallucinations on his side, but, he saw that the Wolfram illusion was looking paler than usual.

* * *

_I didn't realize that letting go is this painful, and I kept pretending. Pretending that I didn't care at all, so that my heart won't ache. But now, I remember everything that happened. Your face, your eyes, your lips. Words that we would regret later poured out, building a wall between us. Those words that I regret now, they were meant to cover our sadness. I didn't want to see sadness in your eyes, didn't want to remember the way you cried before. So I told you that I didn't need you. Didn't need someone who thinks only of himself. And it worked. The tears that threatened to spill disappeared and anger replaced the sadness. You lashed out, telling me to go and never come back. But oh, how I regret! My heart is aching...this feeling won't stop...how I yearn to see you again..._

**_So...is Yuuri going out of his mind? Or is he just too 'lovesick'? Take your pick!_**


	2. Curiosity and Remembrance

_**I'm so sorry! Been very busy lately. That's a very lame excuse, I know, but I can't help it. So to make it up, I'm going to dedicate my whole entire time on this fic and not the others. Til this fic finishes!**_

* * *

_**Stubborn Souls - Fragrance of Love**_

_- Curiosity and Remembrance -  
_

_Story Summary: _

_An unusual epidemic has fallen on Wolfram von Bielefield. Though it might be an ordianry illness, he seemed not to be able to recover from it. The whole demon tribe is bewildered by this tragedy that has befallen on the Maou's fiancé. Everyone is taking sides; some wanted to inform the king. Others, especially Lord Bielefield, prefer the king remain ignorant. For the king has decided to remain on Earth until his future is assured.__Conrad makes the final decision to bring his brother to Earth to be cured. Without the king knowing. What will happen when Yuuri finds out?_

* * *

Trapped in a strange-looking wheelchair, he found himself surrounded by many women dressed in white. Warily, he watched them did many things to him before one walked behind him and wheeled him away from the others. "What the? Where do you think you're taking me?!"

"Don't worry, Lord Bielefield. That kind nurse is going to take you to your ward." He heard the Sage called out but had no idea of what this ward was. Incredulously he looked over his shoulder to where the dark-haired Sage waved while smiling. Greta, he saw, looked worried but Conrad seemed to be assuring her.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine in a matter of days. The doctors here are really good." He looked ahead just as they entered a strange room with lots of buttons and lights. He watched the woman pressed a button and the doors slid close. He suddenly felt himself lifting, causing him to grip the arms of the chair a little more tightly.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Those were his thoughts just as the doors slid open.

* * *

He watched the woman fussed over him before she finally left him alone in the dark. With the moon as his only source of light, he turned to look at his surroundings. Everything seemed strange to him but he thought he should trust the Sage instead. Turning his head slightly, he gazed upon the moon. Both his eyes and demeanor gentled as he gazed on. His mind wandered as the cold breeze lightly kissed his feverish skin. A few minutes later, his eyes drooped a little and he relaxed. An image of Yuuri appeared smiling in his mind and he frowned a little. "Stupid wimp." The words slipped out in a whisper as he slowly fall into a deep sleep

* * *

Couple of days had passed since Wolfram had been admitted. Unable to interact with the king, Conrad and the others had to be put up in the Sage's home where, thankfully, his parents were away. His brother's health was steadily all right, though the golden-haired boy seemed a little frail. The boy no longer looked feverish or too sick to talk. In fact, Wolfram's expressions had been serene and clear since they arrived here and that made Conrad wondered.

Was this world's medicine that effective? Or was it the fact that he was now on the same world as the king that had made Wolfram better? These two thoughts had Conrad preoccupied that he did not realize Wolfram was staring.

"What?" Wolfram's question startled him slightly before he composed himself. Smiling at his younger brother, he shook his head. A confused frown etched itself onto the boy's feminine face just as Wolfram turned to converse with Greta.

"Wolfram, did you ever think of His Majesty since we came here?" His question came as a sudden. He watched Wolfram's cheeks turned a faint red before the boy turned to look at him. Greta was staring at the two of them while Gwendel closed his eyes and let out a sound.

"Why should I think of that idiot? It's already bad enough I'm in the same world as him." That came out a little too strongly and fast for Conrad to think otherwise. His mouth was aching to smile knowingly but he shrugged nonchalantly instead.

* * *

Murata had been acting rather strangely these few days. His dark-haired friend had been rushing off to someplace without telling him. When he had asked his dark-haired friend, Murata only smiled and shrugged before rushing off again. And not only that, Shori was the same too. He didn't like when his friend and brother was acting this way. To make matter worse, he had seen the two of them together for these past few days. A suspicion had been nagging at him and he acted on it.

_Are the two of you together?_

It had been a simple question and his brother gaped at him before he exploded.

_Are you out of your mind?! _

_Then why the two of you always together?_

_I'm just helping him with something, that's all._

He was skeptical about his brother's answer but chose to leave it at that. Soon, he'll figure it out.

* * *

_Did you ever think of His Majesty since we came here? _His brother's sudden question had startled him and kept him thinking the whole day. He'd like to think otherwise, that he hadn't been thinking about that idiot, but that would be a lie. Each single day that wimp's face would be etched in his mind. That annoying, yet adorable smile of his. Those expressive dark eyes that could never hold any secret-

Wolfram shook his head. Like always, that face appeared clearly in his mind. With a sigh, he looked down at the white sheets. So what if he had been thinking about Yuuri this whole time? It wasn't a crime and no one would know about it. But he wondered. Did that idiot ever thought of him or of the world that he left behind?

* * *

With no apparent reason, he sneezed. "_Whoa, what was that about?_" he wondered. With a sigh, he came out fromhis room just in time to see Shori and Murata leaving the house. He watched as his brother's car drove past the house before moving to get his bike.

"Yu-chan?"

"I'm going out for a while."

* * *

He felt like some perversed idiot, sneaking after Shori. But this was the only way he could figure out what was going on. A while later, panting softly under his breath, he stopped short when he saw Shori entering the hospital with Murata. A few seconds later, he followed from behind. Careful not to be seen by his brother and friend, he tailed them.

When Shori and Murata entered the elevator, he stopped a few feet away with a newspaper in his face. Noticing the level the elevator stopped, he turned back around. Tonight, he'll find out soon enough.

* * *

He should be happy that he had his brothers and daughter here with him. Even Shori and His Highness came to visit him. But his traitorous heart thought otherwise. His image came to mind again. Will this ache ever end? Will his longing for that idiotic king come to fruitation? And will he ever stop thinking about that idiot?

"Tell me." His voice interrupted the others, golden locks hiding his expression. "How long am I going to be here?" His green eyes locked on to his brothers and then the rest, the expression in his eyes was unreadable.

"A couple more days." Murata's voice broke the silence that came after his sudden question. "The doctors here think you're still too weak to be discharged. Besides, you should be happy here. Look at all the attention you've been getting." The black-haired Sage pointed to the doorway where many of the nurses were sneaking around, their faces blushing at being caught. His daughter giggled at this while Conrad just smiled.

"It's getting late. We should go and let you have your rest." His brown-haired brother stood up just as the others prepared to exit the room. Only Greta seemed reluctant to move.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. Tomorrow's another day. Maybe we can leave this depressing room and venture outside." The golden-haired boy smiled at his daughter as he gave a small wave at her. She brightened up and nodded before following Conrad out. His smile stayed on until he could no longer hear the sound of their footsteps before letting out a sigh. One more night alone. A night of longing dreams.

* * *

_He could not believe his ears. No, he would not. His eyes never strayed from the black-haired boy in front, the dark locks hiding the boy's expression. Something snapped in him and golden locks slipped forward. "You've already decided, haven't you?" "In fact, you've decided a long time ago." The boy cringed at his harsh words but he could not help it. _

"_But I'll be back." The boy was quick to gave his excuse, an attempt to soothe him. Those dark eyes, he secretly adored, held a fearful look in them. _

"_When?" At his question the boy was without words, unable to give an answer. Or rather, unable to tell him his answer. _

"_I-I actually haven't decide yet. But I was thinking more of when I've completed high school or longer." He scoffed at the boy's answer as he turned away. That idiot must be an even bigger idiot to think he was that stupid. He knew that time flew by even faster there than here. And during that time, he'd forget about here. No, that idiot would never do that. He'd not forsaken his duty to this country. But he'd surely forget about the fact that he was engaged. "I'd appoint you as my regent to this country during my absence. Isn't that what you've been wanting all this time?"_

_What does he know about his needs? "I don't want your stupid title. I don't even want your job." He turned around again. "I just want-" He stopped short just before he blurted out his needs. Needs that he was sure the boy would deem them worthless. _

"_What? What is it you want?"_

_He shook his head. "Forget it." Regaining his composure, he walked past the boy. "You can't possibly give me what I want." Not in your current state. He stopped short at the next words the boy blurted out. _

"_You're always like this. You get insanely jealous whenever I'm alone with someone else. You throw tantrums. But not once you've ever tell me what you want. And whenever I ask, your answer's always the same."_

_ Silence greeted the two of them as he stood motionless, the door just a few feet away. His next words came out in a whisper, his voice so soft that his mouth only appeared to be moving. _

"_I'm a hindrance, is that it? Is that what you're trying to tell me? If I'm such a huge pain, then fine! Go back! Go! And never let me see you here again! And if I do-, I swear I can't take responsibility for my actions!"_

* * *

_**Well then, that's the second chapter! Hope you guys liked it! Onto the next one! Coming real soon!**  
_


	3. Awkward Moments

_The next third chapter's here. Hope you guys liked it. Have fun! Oh by the way, thanks for reviewing!**  
**_

* * *

_**Stubborn Souls - Fragrance Love**_

_- Awkward Moments -  
_

_Story Summary: _

_An unusual epidemic has fallen on Wolfram von Bielefield. Though it might be an ordianry illness, he seemed not to be able to recover from it. The whole demon tribe is bewildered by this tragedy that has befallen on the Maou's fiancé. Everyone is taking sides; some wanted to inform the king. Others, especially Lord Bielefield, prefer the king remain ignorant. For the king has decided to remain on Earth until his future is assured.__Conrad makes the final decision to bring his brother to Earth to be cured. Without the king knowing. What will happen when Yuuri finds out?_

* * *

Softly he awoke. To the deafening silence around him. Feeling somewhat restless and unable to sleep, he slipped away from the bed and into the blinding light of the hallway.

Though it was still visiting hours, he was still cautious of the looks the nurses were giving him. Smiling somewhat nervously, he entered the elevator with a relieved sigh. Noticing the panel of numbers, he selected the one he had seen earlier on.

A few seconds later, the door slid opened and he walked out of the compact room. Now this was the tricky part. Exactly who did they visit? It was like searching for a needle in a haystack. But he didn't have to search for long.

* * *

The memory of that day must have jolted him from his sleep. The memory was still fresh in his mind despite being a few days old. Thinking about it now, he wondered if what he said was wrong. True, he was regretting every single word that had slipped out without any thinking. But he could not help but say them, knowing he should not have.

Clearly in deep thoughts, Wolfram hadn't realize that he had wandered far from his room. Unconsciously turning around a corner, he lifted his head and shocked emerald eyes stared straight into a pair of another shocked dark ones. Oh no.

* * *

He had to admit. The moment was truly awkward. Despite the beautiful ethereal-like scenery. Seated outside in the hospital garden, he sneaked a glance at his side. He felt a sudden urge to snicker but chose not to. The dark-haired boy looked equally nauseas.

"How...What...Why..." This came from the king of his country. He heard the boy let out his breath before turning towards him. Dark eyes stared with recognizable shock. "What are you doing here? Why are you here? How did you get here?" He frowned at the questions.

"I believe you've already know the answer to that last question." The king was slightly taken aback by his answer before he regained his composure. The boy gave a small smile as he sheepishly laughed. Then, with no apparent reason, a hand clamped straight on his forehead while Yuuri leaned way too close towards him. The mild suddenness surprised him before he rudely waved aside the king's hand. "Get off of me." Now two hands clamped around his wrists.

"You are sick! What I've thought as an illusion was actually true."

"Get. Your. Hands. Off. Of. Me." His voice was trembling with soft anger at the rude treatment he was getting. Once his hands were free and the king sat back, he stood up. With a disapproving sound, he started to leave when a hand clamped onto his wrist once again. He swiftly turned to demand release but something stopped him.

His dark eyes were serious and intent, and he could actually see the worry in those eyes. A tug caused him to settle back down beside the dark-haired boy. "Stay for a while. I'm sure sooner or later they'll find me here and chase me out. It 's been weeks since that da-"

"I'm too tired to go through that again." He turned away from the king, eyes closed with a frown. He could feel the king's hand slipping gently away from his as both settled to sit more comfortably.

"Are you all right, Wolfram?" Hearing his name slipped past the king's lips caused his heart to beat a little faster but he still maintained his composure.

"Of course, why shouldn't I?" His voice was haughty as usual, an attempt to hide his quickened heartbeat. The king let out a small and somewhat shy smile. The awkward silence returned once more. He swore he could actually hear his heart beating in the deafening silence.

"You look kind of nice in that." It was unusual to hear him say that. A blush appeared, but thankfully, it was too dark for the king to notice. "But I kind of prefer you in your uniform." Hearing that, he sneaked a glance before turning to shyly smile at Yuuri. The king, at the same time, turned and smiled. Realizing that they were staring, both swiftly turned away.

"I have to get back to my room. The nurses will be looking for me." He stood up and was about to leave when, once again, the king grabbed hold of his hand.

"Wolfram, I have to know. What were you about to say that day?" With just the mere mention of that eventful day, the warmth that he had feeling diminished within a second. That idiot. With his other hand, Wolfram gently pushed the king's hand away.

"It's nothing. I was just being myself. A brat, isn't that what you would call it?" The words held a slight bitterness in them, thought unintentionally. He turned to leave when all of a sudden, he was grabbed quite roughly. The next thing he realized was something soft was on his lips, the feeling quite sensational, while he stared at the king. Just as sudden as he was grabbed, the king jumped back with a startle.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." The words chilled his entire body and he turned with his back facing the dark-haired boy. What should have been an another awkward silence turned to a rather tensed one.

"I'd better go." Those were his only words to the king.

* * *

Hidden from view, he watched the dark-haired boy left the compound of the hospital and disappeared around a corner. Though the boy was gone, his eyes still continued to gaze out almost dreamily. His hand, acting on its own accord, grazed his lower lip.

* * *

"I'm such an idiot." Letting out a frustrated sound, he flopped onto his bed. He stayed motionless with his face immersed in the soft pillow. A while later, he rolled to his back. A hand slowly and gently touched the softness of his lips before a soft sigh was let out.

* * *

Something was different about Wolfram. For couple of days his little brother had been gazing into space, his fingers touching his bottom lip.

"Wolfram? Wolfram!" With a start, the golden-haired boy blinked twice before realizing his adopted daughter had her hand waving in front of his eyes. He glanced around as a faint blush appeared when he realized everyone was staring. "Are you all right?"

"I was just thinking."

"About what?" The question was innocent but it got his blush deepened and he looked flustered. In silent amusement, Conrad watched his brother tried to answer. Judging by the way Wolfram had touched his lips and the faraway look he had, the brown-haired knight had already guessed the answer. At that exact moment, one of the nurses entered the room.

"Wolfram, it seems you have another visitor."

* * *

He could not believe this was happening to him. His heart was racing, his palms all sweaty. He wondered what on earth had possessed him to come back to the hospital. He hadn't even know which room Wolfram was in or if the golden-haired boy would even see him.

"Excuse me. Is there a Wolfram staying here?" His voice was amazingly unnerved though he couldn't say the same about his insides. The nurse glanced up and smiled at him.

"Are you a relative?" Now that was a question that he could not entirely answer.

"In a way." His sort of lop-sided smile must have convinced the woman as she stood up and gestured at a passing nurse.

"Megumi, you're going to that boy's room, aren't you? Could you bring him there as well?" With another warm smile, the nurse gestured for him to follow the other woman. "She'll bring you up to his room. Could you please say hi to Wolfram for me as well? He is such an adorable guy, with those luxurious golden hair of his and those vivid green eyes. I'd go up in a second if not my shift here."

He smiled and hesitantly nodded before thanking the woman and following the other nurse who was waiting for him in the elevator. Silence now came the moment the door closed behind him and he could actually hear his heart thundering. He could have sworn the nurse heard it too as she glanced at him.

It must have felt like ages before the door finally opened and he stepped outside. By now, his heart was really racing as he continued following the nurse into a room. The moment he entered, he stopped short. Inside, everyone was looking at him. When he meant everyone, he meant everyone. Conrad, Gwendel, his brother, Murata and Greta. And even Wolfram. Oh shit.

* * *

The atmosphere in the room was awkward and really tensed as there was only silence. Everyone was still staring at him, though Wolfram had a slight redness to his cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" This came from his brother and quite bluntly at that. Nervously he let out a smile as his eyes glanced at one after another.

"I...well...I heard that Wolfram wasn't feeling himself so I decided to come and visit." His answer invoked quite a few comical reactions from both Shori and Murata.

"You told him!"

"No, you did!"

"I swore I didn't. What? You don't believe me?"

"You're his brother."

"Well, you're his friend. You must have told him!"

"I'm telling you, I didn't. Now why would I tell him since I've already prom-"

"In any case, perhaps we should let the two of them talk since His Majesty is already here. Greta, would you like to see if we could find that nice man selling ice-cream?" And within seconds, the two of them were alone.

* * *

_- So how'd you find it so far? Kind of short, huh? And not my usual cliff-hanger chapters! In any case, I'm devoting all my attention to this fanfiction, so I'll be able to put my mind at ease after it's done! Though it might take some time since I'm currently working and such.  
_

_- Now for those who're wondering what kind of illness Wolfram is having, well...I kind of haven't thought of anything. It's just that I heard from my friend that there is such fevers that lasted for days. I heard from her that the longest was nearly about a month but not that kind of high fever. So, actually, I'm trying to find an excuse for Wolfram to be in Yuuri's world. Hehe...but wasn't this chapter just adorable?_


	4. Author's Note

**_Author's Note: _**_Had this idea swimming in my head for a while, so I just had to write it down. Let me know what you think about it. This is just a rough draft, having filled in the details yet. Currently, Stubborn Souls' next chapter in on its way. _

_By the way, I'm currently looking for someone to be my beta-reader, that way I can improve more on the plots and such. Also, that someone will be able to get first look at the next chapter and so on! Hehe...anyone interested?  
_

* * *

_In the gentle night, a solitary figure stood in the balcony of its room. An occasional breeze came and ruffled his gloriously golden locks. The balcony overlooked the magnificent garden below and he had always find peace within its flowery bushes. But tonight, he didn't feel like entering the garden. Sitting on the ledge with his back against the wall, he instead lifted his head. Luxurious golden locks fell forward, hiding most of his features, and without warning, silvery trails marked their way down his cheeks. His whole frame shook silently as he wrapped his arms around his knees. This was unlike him, who was always full of passion and spark._

_As though remembering himself, he wiped away the tears with such vigour, it was as though he was disgusted of his tears. Wrapping his arms around his knees again, he watched the sky. His cheeks still glinted and glittered with wetness. And throughout the whole night, he stayed on the ledge._

* * *

_No one had noticed how withdrawn he had gradually been. They had been too busy preparing. Sitting on the balcony's ledge, he watched them below. The maids busied themselves plucking the roses while the soldiers with the daily duties and a few extra chores. Everyone was as cheerful as ever. Everyone but him._

_He could not bring himself to feel as happy like the others. And that is why he had locked himself up in his own room. In order not to spoil the joy that was spreading around. With a leg hanging over the balcony's ledge, he continued watching the maids merrily chatted as they worked. He watched how careful they cut the roses and not to be pricked by their thorns. A shout came from nearby and he glanced towards its direction._

_Not far from where the maids were, a group of soldiers were gathered around. Most held those so-called baseball mitts while others watched from the sidelines. And in the midst of them, a dark-haired boy swung the bat around before readied his stance. A frown came upon, marring his beautiful features._

_Almost violently he swung his leg back to the ground and strode into the room. The curtains, having being pulled back, were thrown together in a rather violent manner._

* * *

_To pass the time, he busied himself with his paints. Amazingly he was able to paint with only a sliver of light from a gap between the curtains. His brush swept across the canvas with an alarming speed while his brow was marred with a frown of concentration._

_Once in a while he'd stop, only to continue on with his hazardous painting. Paints were everywhere and all around. And even on him. Finished canvases littered around while many more empty ones piled in one corner of the room._

_His brushed swept across the canvas one final time before it stopped. With a sigh, the brush was pulled back from the canvas and placed down besides the paints on a nearby table. He was almost afraid to pull back the curtains as he stood. Afraid to see the finished canvas, for he knew what it would reveal. Like many of the others he had done. But nevertheless, with a small amount of courage, he threw back the curtains with a flourish._

_Sunlight streamed in and glinted off the freshly painted canvas. He wasn't disappointed at all, for he had already knew what this last canvas would reveal. His greatest and deepest wish._

* * *

_People used to say reminiscing about the past was a good way to change oneself, and he couldn't help but reminiscence about his own past. Or more particularly, a past memory that got him isolated from the others. The outside world was now his only companions. The gentle breeze that ruffled his locks calmed his heart while the scenery soothed his soul. With his back against the wall, he was the perfect image of total peace._

___It was such a cruel way for him to know the truth. Someone had told him the whereabouts of the king and like an idiot, he went searching for him, even in the rain. He didn't have to search that long either. With the rain running down his body, he stood there, unable to move. Numbness must have caused his disability to move but it sure had not impaired his vision. But thankfully, the heavens had the decency to blur his vision._

_Thankfully, remembering it had not brought out a new fresh batch of tears, though it had brought sharp stabs to his heart as coldness seeped into his body._

_A few days later, he himself called off the engagement though not in the presence of the king. He had in fact only told of his intentions. His brothers were surprised, especially Conrad. His mother, though, seemed to have figured out and had only accepted his decision with a small nod._

_Closing his eyes, he felt the gentle breeze upon his moon-kissed skin, allowing it to calm his nerves and his heart. For the inevitable tomorrow._

* * *


	5. Blushing Moment

_I can't believe that I could actually finish off two chapters in just a matter of days. I think due to the new untitled new fic, my will to complete this fic is renewed! Well then, wouldn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer. Enjoy!_

**

* * *

**

**Stubborn Souls - Fragrance of Love**

_- Blushing Moment -_

* * *

It was just like the night before. With his cheeks burning, he watched the dark-haired king settled into one of the empty chairs. Another awkward moment.

"So…." He heard Yuuri coughed. "So, are you feeling all right now?" Hesitantly he nodded as his eyes kept on stealing glances at the other boy. "Are you sure?" This time, the boy leaned forward towards him. His face was quite near to his and he could see a frown upon the king's forehead.

"I'm sure."

"Are you really sure? I'm not that convinced. It was quite warm when I touched your forehead." Just that mere sentence brought flushes to the two boys as Yuuri pulled back with a sudden. Apparently he remembered the kiss as well. Silence again fell between the two of them before the king forgot about his embarrassment as he turned back to Wolfram.

"Answer a question for me, Wolfram. Why didn't anyone tell me that you were ill?"

"And what would you have done if we told you about my predicament? Would you order the fever out of my body?"

"Well, I could have done something." But he shook his head, the golden bangs moved with accordance.

"No, you couldn't have done anything because you wouldn't have been there when I fell ill." The two boys fell silent, each remembering the day the king made his decision. Glancing at Yuuri, Wolfram saw the serious intent written on the boy's face. It was as though the king was blaming himself for his condition. "But everything is all right now. I'm fine. In a couple of days, I'll be able to get back to the demon country. And you'll be able to concentrate on your studies."

Those adorable dark eyes of his were now trained on Wolfram, their gaze unwavering that he had to look away for a while.

* * *

For couple of hours, or probably more, the two argued about the most worthless things and yet enjoyed each other's company even more. The others had probably sensed their need for each other that they hadn't returned. In the end, Yuuri suggested for a stroll in the hospital's garden. He readily agreed.

"There is no way in Shin-ou's name I'll sit in that contraption."

"Come on, Wolfram. It's for your own good."

"No."

"Come on. I wouldn't want you to fall face first. Look at you."

"I can walk just fine."

"Come on."

"No. There's no way you can make me sit in that...that thing."

They must have spent several long minutes before Yuuri finally let the matter off. He had wanted Wolfram to use the wheelchair provided but his golden-haired fiancé refused. Stubborn as always. Secretly he smiled as he glanced at his side. Even in his current condition, Wolfram was still stubborn as he always was.

_He must have been the one who hadn't wanted me to know about his illness. That idiot.

* * *

_

Seated beside the king, he watched others dressed like him walked by. This time, it wasn't an awkward moment. The silence wasn't tensed either, in fact, he actually enjoyed being alone with Yuuri. No Gunter to come and take the dark-haired king away and Conrad was too busy handling Greta and Gwendel. And much as he loved Greta, he was glad his daughter was now Conrad's responsibility.

_But…_

He looked down at his feet as he rocked gently on his palms. His golden locks moved with his movements, and soon he was frowning at the ground.

_In a couple of days, I'll be going home. In a couple of days, I'll be out of his -_

"Wolfram. Aft…after you're discharged from here, would you like to see my world?"

* * *

Judging by the incredulous look on his fiancé's face, one would have thought the king had asked the golden-haired boy to grow another head or something.

"Wh-what?"

_You're not making this any easier. _

His smile was rather hesitantly shy as he glanced at the other boy. His palms had mysteriously gotten sweaty again while his heart racing like a racehorse.

"Are you mad? Why should I stay on here in this…this world?" Wolfram's voice was haughty as he glanced away with a rather snobbish sniff. But he knew better. For he could see the faint redness that was on the boy's cheeks. Or in the way the boy's eyes kept glancing at him. Or in the way those lips itching to smile. He should have lost his nerves and never spoke of it again, but something else made him. Could he actually be in love with Wolfram? Oh god.

That sudden thought reeled his mind. He remembered how worried he was that Wolfram would never get better. Or how he counted the seconds till he could visit the golden-haired boy. He even remembered the comical 'tug-of-war' he played with himself, trying to decide whether to go or not just hours ago. Thank god, he hadn't made the decision to buy flowers or anything like that.

"Don't go back to Shin Makoku yet, Wolfram. Stay here a while. Heck, you can even stay over at my place. I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind. Just like how you'd guided me in Shin Makoku, I want to show you my world too."

Then, for some strange reason, he took hold of his fiancé's wrists and pulled, until the boy went sprawling towards him.

"Wh-wh-" Wolfram's words were muffled as he lifted his head up. In one swift motion, he'd caught hold of the golden-haired boy's shoulders and leaned closer. His heart suddenly raced and slowed while his hands gripped those shoulders tightly.

"Oh my."

* * *


	6. A Surprise Visit

**Sorry for the late late update..i know, i know...no excuse. Was kind of caught up with The Voice of My Troubled Heart, wrecking my head for the quotes. **

* * *

**_Stubborn Souls - Fragrance of Love_**

_- A Surpise Visit -_

* * *

He could feel his face burning and knew he should move or something. But as he watched the king leaning closer and closer, all he could do was watch. And for some reason, he closed his eyes and felt the king's hands bit tightly around his wrists. Reflexively and unconsciously, he flexed his own hands. Closer and closer he felt the king leaning, he could almost feel the warm breaths the other boy was letting out and almost unconsciously he let his mouth opened slightly...

"Oh my."

Somewhere amidst the sound of his thundering heart, he heard a faint yet distinctive voice. With almost immediately his eyes shot open and met with the king's own pair of shocked eyes. Someone coughed while another snickered. Then the gleeful sound of a child's laughter. Yuuri let out a sound as he watched the king closed his eyes and unceremoniously dropped his head onto his shoulder. A more embarrassing predicament.

"When I suggested for you to talk, I didn't mean this." His brother's voice was laced with humour and he wished for the ground to split open and swallow him whole. "Now I wonder what would really happen if we came a little later?"

If looks could really kill as the saying goes, his would and Conrad would be writhing in pain right now.

"Are you going to stay that way?" His other brother sniffed. His face immediately flamed even more as he remembered his rather embarrassing position. He pulled back immediately and scooted far from the king who, amazingly, pulled back as well.

* * *

He glared at his so-called best friend as he watched Murata laughed alongside with his snickering brother. They were still thinking about his embarrassing moment, laughing out loud at some point.

"May be I shouldn't have interrupted the two of you back then. Who knows what would happen." The black-haired Sage smiled as he glanced at the dark-haired king. Wolfram, safely in his bed, could only watch the sheets. His cheeks were still amazingly red, effeminizing the knight even more. As though sensing that the king was watching him, the golden-haired boy lifted his head up towards him. The redness deepened as Wolfram glared at him before haughtily glanced away. He just sighed as he hung his head.

* * *

It had been a week since that slight mishap, though his brother had kept on snickering each time they met each other. It was the same with Murata as well. Somehow, he was restless. He never thought he'd actually miss Wolfram, well, not this badly. For two days, he'd been lingering around his house, hoping for the golden-haired boy to appear at his doorstep. The third day, Murata informed him they had returned back to the demon country. For two days, he moped.

His parents were worried and urged him to go back to the other world, but he refused. He gave this lop-sided excuse that the school term wasn't over yet.

_If you miss him that much, go back. Don't be an ignorant fool._

Murata warned him, if he didn't take action, he'll personally go after the golden prince himself.

_After all, Wolfram looks exactly like Shin-ou._

But he knew his dark-haired friend was just trying to agitate him into going back. A knock on the door caught his attention but he didn't bother to open it, leaving it to his mother.

_Whoever's at door, it's probably one of Mom's friends. _

But the knocking was quite persistent, making him realize that he was the only one home. With a grumble, he made his way towards the door. And got the mildly warm shock of his life.

* * *


End file.
